Where Are They Now: Adam Hall

A penalty killing mainstay who was strong on faceoffs, Adam Hall played 682 regular season games and 56 Stanley Cup playoff games in the National Hockey League. He spent his final 117 regular season games (four goals, 13 points) with the Philadelphia Flyers over two seasons. He dressed in all seven games of the team’s Eastern Conference quarterfinal series against the New York Rangers in 2014.

Unlike an unfortunately large percentage of professional athletes in all sports, Hall had a game plan for life after hockey. A finance major at Michigan State University, where he had a successful four seasons as a student-athlete before he began his pro hockey career, it was always his long-range plan to put his college degree to good use after his playing days.

Today, Hall works as a financial advisor for Morgan Stanley.

As a Financial Advisor with Morgan Stanley, I help professional athletes plan for career transition. Originally, I wanted to earn my finance degree from Michigan State to help family and friends. Then, as my NHL career progressed, I saw firsthand what can happen when athletes don’t have the right people advising them. My experience on both sides puts me in a unique position to be able to guide others. I also met a lot of amazing people who were very successful in various businesses. We would have interesting conversations about obstacles they were facing and solutions they were looking for,” he recalls.

Hall was born on Aug. 14, 1980, in Kalamazoo, Michigan. The Nashville Predators drafted the 6-foot-2 forward, whose frame filled out to a sturdy 212 pounds, was drafted by the Nashville Predators in the second round (52nd overall) of the 1999 NHL Draft.

During his early years in the US National Team Development Program, his four-year collegiate career at Michigan State and even his early pro career, Hall was used in scoring situations as well as in a defensive role. In the NHL, he evolved into a checking and penalty killing specialist known for guile and his physical strength.

Before coming to the Flyers, Hall suited up for the Predators, New York Rangers, Pittsburgh Penguins, Tampa Bay Lightning and Carolina Hurricanes. He played in Finland for KalPa Kuopio during the lockout-canceled 2004-05 season in Germany during the lockout-shortened 2012-13 season.

The Flyers claimed Hall off waivers from Tampa Bay on April 3, 2013. He dressed in each of the final 11 games of the season. He then signed a one-year contract extension with the Flyers for the 2013-14 season. Hall’s fondest memory of his time in Philadelphia: the people he met.

“From my teammates to the staff and ownership to the fans. I loved the camaraderie with teammates and the atmosphere of our games. The fans’ energy always made Philly a great place to play. We were always treated so well. There is a passion and drive for excellence throughout the entire organization,” Hall said.

Hall’s NHL days were done after 2013-14 season, but not his pro hockey career. He had an opportunity to play in Switzerland — a preferred destination among many North American players who go overseas — and parlayed it into three successful seasons with HC Ambri-Piotta.

“Playing in Switzerland was an incredible experience. It’s such a beautiful country. We lived in the Italian-speaking region and picked up some of the language. Grocery shopping can be interesting when you can’t read the labels on the food. Everything is so close in Europe. We were able to travel to places such as Italy, France, Spain, Portugal, Austria and Germany,” he recalls.

In 2017, nearing his 37th birthday, Hall retired as an active player. He set a new goal for himself to put to use his educational background in finance and personal desire to help others achieve long-term financial prosperity. After weighing his options, he accepted an offer to join Morgan Stanley.

“I spoke with numerous people and firms. I was looking for a combination of global resources and unique solutions. Morgan Stanley was the best culture and fit and it gave me the best opportunity to help people,” he said.

Hall has never regretted his chosen post-hockey career path. He finds his work both challenging and rewarding.

“I enjoy meeting new people and building relationships. I love the feeling of being able to help make a real difference in peoples’ lives. Finance is such a big part of everyone’s life whether it’s business or personal and everyone always has questions. We help people find solutions,” he said.

As with the vast majority of Alumni after their professional playing days, the love of hockey and the camaraderie of being part of a team is still part of the fabric of Adam Hall’s character. He was slated to suit up for the Flyers Alumni team in several games that had to be postponed due to the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic.

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